Purandar Singha (1818–19, 1833–1838) was the last king of the
Ahom kingdom in
Assam
Assam (; ) is a state in northeastern India, south of the eastern Himalayas along the Brahmaputra and Barak River valleys. Assam covers an area of . The state is bordered by Bhutan and Arunachal Pradesh to the north; Nagaland and Manipur ...
. He was installed as king twice. The first time, he was installed by Ruchinath
Burhagohain Buragohain ( Ahom language: ''Chao Phrung Mung'') was the first of the two original counsellors in the Ahom kingdom. He was selected by the Ahom king from members of the Ahom nobility (''Satgharia Ahom''),who vowed not to fight for the position o ...
in 1818 CE, after the latter deposed
Chandrakanta Singha
Sudingphaa (1811–1818, 1819–1821) also, Chandrakanta Singha, was a Tungkhungia king of the Ahom dynasty, who ruled at the climactic of the Ahom kingdom. His reign witnessed the invasion of Burmese on Assam and its subsequent occupation by ...
from the throne. His first reign ended in 1819 CE, during the second Burmese invasion of Assam, when his forces were defeated and the Burmese reinstalled Chandrakanta Singha on the throne. He along with Ruchinath Burhagohain continued their efforts to expel Burmese invaders, by seeking help from British and through armed struggle. After
First Anglo-Burmese War
The First Anglo-Burmese War ( my, ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ်-မြန်မာ စစ်; ; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as the First Burma War, was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese ...
, the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
took over Assam from the Burmese invaders. Finding it difficult to administer an unfamiliar region and sensing discontent among the local inhabitants to foreign rule, the British authorities decided to restore
Upper Assam
Upper Assam is an administrative division of the state of Assam comprising the undivided Lakhimpur and Sivasagar (previously, Sibsagar) districts, of the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra valley. The other divisions are: Lower Assam, North Assam a ...
to a prince of
Ahom Dynasty. Purander Singha was found suitable for this post and therefore, in April 1833 CE, except for
Sadiya
Sadiya is a town in Tinsukia district, Assam. It was the capital of the Chutia Kingdom and after the downfall of the kingdom it became the seat of the ''Sadiya-khowa-Gohain'' of the Ahom kingdom. Extensive remains of buildings and fortificati ...
and
Matak rajya
Matak rajya or Matak kingdom was a 19th-century autonomous region within the Ahom kingdom in Assam. It was governed by the ''Barsenapati'' ("Great General").
History
This autonomous region was established by an agreement in 1805 between the Purnan ...
, the entire territory of Upper Assam was formally made over to him, on the condition of yearly tribute of 50,000 rupees. Later, in 1838 CE, finding him incompetent and a defaulter in payments of revenue, the British formally annexed his kingdom, putting an end to a 600 years reign of the Ahom dynasty. When Purandar Singha accepted the position of prince over upper Assam, he did not realize the difficulties of his new position.
Ancestry and family history
Purandar Singha was the son of Brajanath Gohain, son of Bijoy Barmura Gohain, grandson of Ratneswar Saru-gohain, and great grandson of Swargadeo
Rajeswar Singha
Suremphaa (reign 1751–1769), or Rajeswar Singha, the fourth son of Rudra Singha, became the king of the Ahom kingdom after the death of his brother King Pramatta Singha. Rudra Singha's third son, Mohanmala Maladev Gohain, was considered i ...
. Ratneswar Saru-gohain with his brother Maju-Gohain and Rajeswar Singha's elder brother
Mohanmala Maladev Gohain
Mohanmala Maladev Gohain, Barjana Gohain or simply know as Mohanmala Gohain, was the third son of great Rudra Singha. He held the rank of Namrup Raja, he was the lawful third heir to the throne after Pramatta Singha according to his father's wish. ...
had joined the ranks of rebels against his uncle Swargadeo
Lakshmi Singha
Sunyeophaa also Lakshmi Singha (1769–1780), previously known as Kalsiliya Gohain, was an Ahom king. After Rajeswar Singha's death, he married Queen Kuranganayani and became the king of the Ahom kingdom. Shortly after he was installed he bec ...
during the first phase of the
Moamoria rebellion
The Moamoria rebellion (1769–1805) was the 18th century uprising in Ahom kingdom of present-day Assam that began as power struggle between the Moamorias (''Mataks''), the adherents of the Moamara Sattra, and the Ahom kings. This uprising s ...
. But after the Moamoria rebels achieved success, they treacherously murdered him, by administering poison on his food. Later Lakshmi Singha regained his throne, by defeating the Moamoria rebels. Bijoy Barmura Gohain, son of Ratneswar Saru-gohain also became involved in a conspiracy against the regime of Lakshmi Singha. He was caught and was punished by inflicting mutilation on his ears. He again conspired against the king, only to be caught, and suffered further mutilation. His young son Brajanath Gohain also suffered mutilation of his ears by royal orders.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K., ''Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha'', first edition 1975, Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 226] During the reign of next monarch
Gaurinath Singha
Suhitpangphaa reign (1780–1795), also Gaurinath Singha, was an Ahom king of the Ahom kingdom. He lost his capital Rangpur to the Moamoria rebellion and camped in the Nagaon and Guwahati region till Captain Welsh removed the rebels. Therea ...
, Bijoy Barmura plotted against the king, in association with Hangsa Narayan, the tributary ruler of
Darrang
Darrang () is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarters are located at Mangaldoi. The district occupies an area of 1585 km2.
History
No definitive records about Darrang are available for the pre-med ...
. The plot was discovered and Hangsa Narayan was seized and put to death. Bijoy Barmura with his family escaped to the
Kachari kingdom
The Dimasa Kingdom (also Kachari kingdom) was a late medieval/early modern kingdom in Assam, Northeast India ruled by Dimasa kings. The Dimasa kingdom and others (Kamata, Chutiya) that developed in the wake of the Kamarupa kingdom were examp ...
.
In 1803 CE, during the reign of
Kamaleswar Singha
Suklingphaa (ruled 1795–1811), or Kamaleswar Singha, was a king of the Ahom kingdom. He came to power when he was a toddler, and died in his teens during a small pox epidemic. The ''de facto'' ruler during his reign was Purnanada Burhagoha ...
, Bijoy Barmura joined some fugitive Moamoria rebels in the Kachari kingdom and planned an uprising against the
Ahom kingdom. They were aided by the Kachari king Krishna Chandra, and a large number of Kacharis joined their ranks. The Kachari-Moamoria coalition rose against Ahom authority in the present day,
Nagaon
Nagaon (previously Nowgong; Assamese নগাঁও), is a town and a municipal board in Nagaon district in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated east of Guwahati.
History
This division was organised on the both banks of Kalang river by ...
and
Morigaon
Morigaon (pron: mʌrɪˈgãʊ) is a town of town area committee and the district headquarters of Morigaon district in the Indian state of Assam and including the headquarters of the Tiwa Autonomous Council (TAC), Tiwashong, Assam which was con ...
districts, which resulted in a full-scale war with the Ahoms. The Kachari-Moamoria coalition was defeated and many rebel leaders were either killed or captured. Kamaleswar Singha demanded that Krishna Chandra hand over Bijoy Bormura Gohain; but he escaped with his son Brajanath Gohain to British-ruled Bengal. Bijoy Barmura spent the rest of his life in Silmari in Bengal. In 1809 CE, Brajanath Gohain went to
Calcutta
Kolkata (, or , ; also known as Calcutta , List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, the official name until 2001) is the Capital city, capital of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal, on the eastern ba ...
, met with the Governor-General and tried to procure military aid to fulfill his ambition to become king, in exchange for acknowledging British supremacy, but in vain.
Birth and early life
Purandar Singha was born in 1807 CE, at Silmari, located in British-ruled Bengal. His grandfather Bijoy Barmura Gohain and his father Brajanath Gohain were living in Silmari as exiled princes, after their attempts to become king of
Ahom kingdom failed. The family faced economic hardships during their exile, and life in Silmari was very hard for them. Purandar Singha also spent his early life amidst economic hardships.
[''Barua Gunaviram Assam Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' 4th edition 2008 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 131]
Events leading to his accession
Internal turmoil and first Burmese invasion
In 1815 CE, Purnananda Burhagohain, Prime Minister of the Ahom kingdom, sent a deputation to arrest Badan Chandra
Borphukan
Borphukan ( Ahom language: ''Phu-Kan-Lung'') was one of the five (councillors) in the Ahom kingdom, a position that was created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha. The position included both executive and judicial powers, with jurisdiction of the ...
, the Ahom viceroy at
Guwahati
Guwahati (, ; formerly rendered Gauhati, ) is the biggest city of the Indian state of Assam and also the largest metropolis in northeastern India. Dispur, the capital of Assam, is in the circuit city region located within Guwahati and is the ...
, who was charged with atrocities committed on the people of Lower Assam, but, being warned in time by his daughter, Pijou Gabharu, who had married one of the Premier's sons, he escaped to Bengal.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 297] He proceeded to Calcutta, and alleging that Purnananda Burhagohain was subverting the Ahom Government and ruining the country, endeavored to persuade the Governor-General
Lord Hastings
Baron Hastings is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1290, and is extant. The second creation was in the Peerage of England in 1299, and became extinct on the death of the first holder in ...
to dispatch an expedition against Purnananda Burhagohain. Lord Hasting, however, refused to interfere in any way.
Meanwhile, Badan Chandra had struck up a friendship with the Calcutta agent of the Burmese government and he went with this man to the Court of
Amarapura
Amarapura ( my, အမရပူရ, MLCTS=a. ma. ra. pu ra., , ; also spelt as Ummerapoora) is a former capital of Myanmar, and now a township of Mandalay city. Amarapura is bounded by the Irrawaddy river in the west, Chanmyathazi Township in t ...
, where he was accorded a meeting with the Burmese king, Bodawpaya. He repeated his misrepresentations regarding the conduct of Purnananda Burhagohain, alleging that he had usurped the King's authority, and that owing to his misgovernment, the lives of all, both high and low, were in danger. At last, he obtained a promise of help.
[Barua Gunaviram ''Assam Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' 4th edition 2008 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 108] Towards the end of the year 1816 an army of about eight thousand men under the command of General Maha Minhla Minkhaung was dispatch from
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
with Badan Chandra
Borphukan
Borphukan ( Ahom language: ''Phu-Kan-Lung'') was one of the five (councillors) in the Ahom kingdom, a position that was created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha. The position included both executive and judicial powers, with jurisdiction of the ...
. It was joined en route by the chiefs of Mungkong, Hukong, and Manipur, and, by the time Namrup was reached, its number had swollen to about sixteen thousand.
Purnananda Burhagohain sent an army to oppose the invaders. A battle was fought at Ghiladhari in which the Assamese army was routed. At this juncture Purnananda Burhagohain died or some say, committed suicide by swallowing diamonds,
leaving the entire Ahom government leaderless.
His eldest son, Ruchinath was appointed as Burhagohain. The Ahom war council decided to continue the war; and a fresh army was hastily equipped and sent to resist the Burmese. Like the former one, it was utterly defeated, near Kathalbari east of Dihing. The Burmese continued their advance pillaging and burning the villages along their line of march. Ruchinath Burhagohain endeavored in vain to induce the reigning Ahom monarch
Chandrakanta Singha
Sudingphaa (1811–1818, 1819–1821) also, Chandrakanta Singha, was a Tungkhungia king of the Ahom dynasty, who ruled at the climactic of the Ahom kingdom. His reign witnessed the invasion of Burmese on Assam and its subsequent occupation by ...
to retreat to Guwahati, and then, perceiving that the latter intended to sacrifice him, in order to conciliate Badan Chandra and his Burmese allies, fled westwards to Guwahati.
The Burmese occupied the capital
Jorhat
Jorhat ( ) is one of the important cities and a growing urban centre in the state of Assam in India.
Etymology
Jorhat ("jor" means twin and "hat" means market) means two hats or mandis - "Masorhaat" and "Sowkihat" which existed on the opposite ...
and Badan Chandra triumphantly entered the capital, interviewed Chandrakanta Singha and offered to run the affairs of the state as his capacity as Mantri-Phukan or Prime Minister. The young king, Chandrakanta, had no alternative but to acquiesce in Badan Chandra's proposal. Badan Chandra now became all powerful and he used his Burmese allies to plunder and slay all the relations and adherents of Purnananda Burhagohain.
Meanwhile, friendly overtures were made to Chandrakanta from the Burmese camp. An Ahom princess, Hemo Aideo, (also known as Bhamo Aideo) was offered to Bodawpaya for the royal harem along with fifty elephants. Hemo Aideo was accompanied by large retinue. The Burmese were paid an indemnity, and in April 1817, they returned to their own country.
Invitation from Ruchinath Burhagohain to Brajanath Gohain and Chandrakanta deposed
A few months later, the political scene in the Ahom kingdom had changed. Badan Chandra Borphukan was assassinated by his political rivals, aided by the Queen-mother Numali Rajmao. She with nobles called on Ruchinath Burhagohain to return to the capital Jorhat. But Chandrakanta's peace with the Burmese, his support for Badan Chandra and his refusal to go down to Guwahati at the approach of the Burmese army, had aroused the suspicion of Ruchinath Burhagohai, who saw him as mainly responsible for the attempts made against his father Purnananda Burhagohain, and the arrival of the Burmese troops.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) 1968 p. 200][Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 310] Ruchinath took up the case of Brajanath Gohain, great-grandson of Ahom king Swargadeo
Rajeswar Singha
Suremphaa (reign 1751–1769), or Rajeswar Singha, the fourth son of Rudra Singha, became the king of the Ahom kingdom after the death of his brother King Pramatta Singha. Rudra Singha's third son, Mohanmala Maladev Gohain, was considered i ...
, who was leading an exiled life at Silmari in Bengal and invited him to become a candidate for the throne.
Brajanath Gohain agreed and came to Guwahati where he was joined by Ruchinath Burhagohain and his supporters. After gathering a force of Hindustani mercenaries and local levies, Ruchinath and his party proceeded to Jorhat. Chandrakanta fled to
Rangpur, leaving Luku Dekaphukan in charge of the capital.
Luku Dekaphukan offered some resistance to Ruchinath Burhagohain's forces but the resistance was easily repulsed and Luku Dekaphukan was killed.
The victors succeeded in bringing over the royal troops to their side. They then entered Jorhat on February 17, 1818.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K., ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) second edition 1968 Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam Guwahati p. 201]
Accession
Brajanath at once caused coins to be struck in his own name, but it was now remembered that he was ineligible for the throne, as he had suffered mutilation of one of his ears.
The Ahom considered their king as of divine origin and the person of the monarch, was sacred, and any noticeable scar or blemish, even a scratch received in play, a pit of smallpox, or a wound received in action, was a bar to succession. Therefore, Brajanath's son Purandar, then only ten years old, was brought from Silmari, who arrived in time and was acclaimed as sovereign of the Ahom kingdom of Assam, in February 1818 CE. A few days later Biswanath Marangikhowa Gohain, brother of Ruchinath Burhagohain, sliced off Chandrakanta's right ear in order to disqualify him from again sitting on the throne.
[Barua Gunaviram ''Assam Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' 4th edition 2008 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 113]
First reign (1818–1819 CE)
Brajanath exerts real authority
Since Purandar Singha was very young, the real authority lay with Brajanath Gohain and Ruchinath Burhagohain. They immediately made a clean sweep of all the nobles and officers, including the
Borgohain Borgohain (Ahom language: ''Chao Thao Lung'') was the second of the two original counselors in the Ahom kingdom. He was selected by the Ahom king from members of the Ahom nobility (''Satgharia Ahom''), who vowed not to fight for the position of Ah ...
,
Borpatrogohain Borpatragohain was the third of the three great ''Gohains'' (counsellors) in the Ahom kingdom. This position was created by Suhungmung Dihingia Raja in the year 1527 when Koncheng was made the first Borpatrogohain. The designation was borrowed fro ...
and
Borbarua
Borboruah ( Ahom language: ''Phu-Ke-Lung'') was one of the five (councillors) in the Ahom kingdom, a position created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha in 1621. The position included both executive and judicial powers, with jurisdiction of the A ...
, who were suspected of still bearing loyalty to Chandrakanta Singha. Being the father of the monarch, Brajanath Gohain exercised the virtual powers of a sovereign. He appointed himself as Charing Raja and Juvaraj or heir apparent. He also issued coins and grants lands to Brahmins in his own name, though it was the king who could perform these acts.
Second Burmese invasion and reinstallation of Chandrakanta Singha
Meanwhile, the friends of Badan Chandra
Borphukan
Borphukan ( Ahom language: ''Phu-Kan-Lung'') was one of the five (councillors) in the Ahom kingdom, a position that was created by the Ahom king Prataap Singha. The position included both executive and judicial powers, with jurisdiction of the ...
went to the court of the Burmese monarch Bodawpaya and appealed for help. Bodawpaya, through his marriage to Hemo Aideo, had an alliance with Chandrakanta Singha, and dispatched a fresh army of 30,000 men under Alungmingi, also known as Kiamingi Borgohain.
The Assamese army resisted the Burmese in Phulpanichiga near the Janji River on February 17, 1819. Some sources stated that the battle took place in Machkhowa in
Sibsagar district
Sivasagar district (Pron: or ), formerly known as ''Sibsagar'', is one of the 34 districts of Assam state in Northeast India. Sivasagar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. This historic place is also known for its rich bio ...
.
Initially, the Assamese resisted Burmese with some spirit, but at a critical point in the engagement, their commander lost his nerve. They were defeated and beat a hasty retreat to Jorhat.
Purandar Singha, his father Brajanath Gohain and Ruchinath Burhagohain fled to Guwahati taking with them all the valuables from the royal treasury, worth 3.5 million rupees. The triumphant Burmese now searched for Chandrakanta Singha, led him from his retreat and properly installed him on the throne.
Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain regrouped their troops in Guwahati. The Burmese commander Momai Barua marched towards Guwahati at the head of a large Burmese force. An Assamese force, under the leadership of Bhisma Gogoi Borphukan was dispatched by Purandar Singha to resist the invaders. Both sides fought a battle in Khagarijan (present day
Nagaon
Nagaon (previously Nowgong; Assamese নগাঁও), is a town and a municipal board in Nagaon district in the Indian state of Assam. It is situated east of Guwahati.
History
This division was organised on the both banks of Kalang river by ...
) on 11 June 1819, in which the Assamese army was defeated. The Burmese occupied Guwahati and Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain escaped to Bengal.
Appeal to the British
Purander Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain appealed to British Governor-General
Lord Hastings
Baron Hastings is a title that has been created three times. The first creation was in the Peerage of England in 1290, and is extant. The second creation was in the Peerage of England in 1299, and became extinct on the death of the first holder in ...
, to help recover their kingdom. He replied that the British Government was not accustomed to interfere in the internal affairs of foreign states. Meanwhile, Chandrakanta Singha and his Burmese allies asked the British authorities for the extradition of the fugitives, but to these requests also a deaf ear was turned.
Triangular contest between Chandrakanta, Purandar and the Burmese
Purandar Singha and Ruchinth Burhagohain started recruiting soldiers and mercenaries from
Goalpara
Goalpara, Pron: ) is the district headquarters of Goalpara district, Assam, India. It is situated to the west of Guwahati.
Etymology
The name Goalpara is said to have originated from the word "Gwaltippika" meaning Guwali village, or The villa ...
, Bengal and
Bhutan
Bhutan (; dz, འབྲུག་ཡུལ་, Druk Yul ), officially the Kingdom of Bhutan,), is a landlocked country in South Asia. It is situated in the Eastern Himalayas, between China in the north and India in the south. A mountainous ...
, and rallied their troops in
Duars
The Dooars or Duars ( as, দুৱাৰ, duar, rkt, দুৱাৰ, duar, bn, দুয়ার, duyar) () are the alluvial floodplains in eastern-northeastern India that lie south of the outer foothills of the Himalayas and north of the ...
, an area located on the borders of Bhutan and Assam. With the aid of a British soldier and trader,
Robert Bruce
Robert I (11 July 1274 – 7 June 1329), popularly known as Robert the Bruce (Scottish Gaelic: ''Raibeart an Bruis''), was King of Scots from 1306 to his death in 1329. One of the most renowned warriors of his generation, Robert eventuall ...
, the force was supplied with guns and firearms.
Meanwhile, Chandrakanta Singha tried to free himself from Burmese influence, which resulted in the Third Burmese Invasion of Assam, in March, 1821 CE. Defeated near Jorhat, he retreated to Guwahati, and started gathering more troops. The Burmese general installed
Jogeswar Singha
Jogeswar Singha was installed as the king of Ahom kingdom in 1821 CE, by the Burmese. He was more or less a puppet in the hands of the Burmese, who held the real power of administration. His reign witnessed Burmese atrocities on the people of Ass ...
as the king of the Ahom kingdom, after getting approval from the Burmese monarch
Bagyidaw
Bagyidaw ( my, ဘကြီးတော်, ; also known as Sagaing Min, ; 23 July 1784 – 15 October 1846) was the seventh king of the Konbaung dynasty of Burma from 1819 until his abdication in 1837. Prince of Sagaing, as he was commonly known ...
. Purandar Singha decided to take advantage of the situation. He sent his men under the leadership of Robert Bruce, to attack Chandrakanta Singha's forces in Guwahati, in May, 1821 CE. They were defeated, and their commander Bruce was taken prisoner. He was later released when he agreed to enter into the service of Chandrakanta Singha and to supply his soldiers with firearms and ammunition.
Purandar Singha retreated towards the border with Bhutan to rally his forces; and the Burmese marched against Chandrakanta Singha's position in Guwahati. Alarmed by the size of the Burmese army, Chandrakanta Singha retreated to British-ruled Bengal.
Attempt to oust the Burmese invaders
Towards the end of 1821, Chandrakanta collected a force of about two thousand men, consisting of Sikhs and Hindustanis from British-ruled Bengal.
[Barua Gunaviram ''Assam Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' 4th edition 2008 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 116] He rallied his men in the
Goalpara district
Goalpara district is an administrative district of the Indian state of Assam.
History
It was a princely state ruled by the Koch kings and the then ruler of the undivided kingdom. Today the erstwhile Goalpara district is divided into Kokrajha ...
, and Robert Bruce obtained for him three hundred muskets and nine
maund
The maund (), mun or mann (Bengali: ; Urdu: ) is the anglicized name for a traditional unit of mass used in British India, and also in Afghanistan, Persia, and Arabia:. the same unit in the Mughal Empire was sometimes written as ''mann'' or ''mun ...
s of ammunition from Calcutta.
The Burmese troops and their followers were so numerous that it was found impossible to provide them with supplies in any one place. They were, therefore, distributed about the country in a number of small detachments. Chandrakanta Singha, seeing his opportunity, returned to the attack and, after inflicting several defeats on the Burmese, recaptured Guwahati in January 1822 CE.
Meanwhile, Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain rallied their troops in Bhutan and also recruited new soldiers from Bhutan and
Bijni
Bijni is a town in Chirang district under the jurisdiction of Bodoland Territorial Council which controls the districts of the Bodoland Territorial Region in the state of Assam.
Geography
Bijni is located on the northern bank of Brahmaputra rive ...
. Encouraged by the defeats of Burmese at the hands of Chandrakanta Singha, Purandar Singha and Ruchinath
Burhagohain Buragohain ( Ahom language: ''Chao Phrung Mung'') was the first of the two original counsellors in the Ahom kingdom. He was selected by the Ahom king from members of the Ahom nobility (''Satgharia Ahom''),who vowed not to fight for the position o ...
also started to harass Burmese troops especially on the north bank of
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. It ...
. The Burmese commander Mingimaha Tilowa Baju sent a long letter to the British Governor-General at Calcutta, protesting against the facilities which had been accorded to the Ahom princes and demanded their extradition, but the British authority gave no reply.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 320]
Arrival of Mingi Maha Bandula and defeat of Chandrakanta Singha
Meanwhile, news of Burmese reverses in Assam reached
Burma
Myanmar, ; UK pronunciations: US pronunciations incl. . Note: Wikipedia's IPA conventions require indicating /r/ even in British English although only some British English speakers pronounce r at the end of syllables. As John Wells explai ...
. The Burmese monarch Bagyidaw sent his finest general
Mingi Maha Bandula to reclaim Assam with reinforcements of 20,000 soldiers. Undaunted by enemy strength, Chandrakanta Singha marched into Upper Assam with approximately 2000 men consisting of Sikhs and Hindustani mercenaries and some local Assamese people recruited around Guwahati. After pushing the enemy forces back, he pitched his camp in Mahgarh (presently known as Kokilamukh; located in
Jorhat district
Jorhat (pron: ˈʤɔ:(r)ˌhɑ:t) is an administrative district of the Indian state of Assam situated in the central part of the Brahmaputra Valley. The district is bounded by Majuli on north, Nagaland state on the south, Charaideo on the east and ...
near the capital Jorhat).
On 19 April 1822 A.D. the 20,000 Burmese led by
Mingi Maha Bandula and the 2000 mixed Assamese-Hindustani forces led by Chandrakanta Singha fought the decisive battle at Mahgarh.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) second edition 1968 Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam Guwahati p. 206] Chandrakanta Singha is said to have displayed unusual vigour and courage by himself present in the thick of battle; personally leading his soldiers; and engaged in hand-to-hand combat with enemy soldiers.
For some time his troops held their own, but in the end their ammunition gave out and they were defeated with a loss of 1500 men. The Burmese won the battle due to their numerical superiority but sustained losses more than that of Chandrakanta's forces. Chandrakanta Singha and his remaining forces managed to escape back to Guwahati as the Burmese, like Chandrakanta Singha's forces run out of ammunitions and a lot of them were injured or dead after the battle.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 321]
Mingi Maha Bandula sent Burmese Commander Mingi Maha Tilowa Baju in pursuit of Chandrakanta Singha. Unable to resist the Burmese with his small force, Chandrakanta Singha fell back to Hadirachowki (Assam chowki), where he made preparation to resist the Burmese with his mixed levies consisting of Sikh, Hindustanis and Assamese soldiers. On 21 June 1822, Chandrakanta Singha made his final stand against Mingi Maha Tilowa Baju and his Burmese forces in the battle of Hadirachowki. In the battle Chandrakanta Singha was finally defeated and his army totally eliminated. Chandrakanta Singha narrowly escaped to British ruled
Goalpara district
Goalpara district is an administrative district of the Indian state of Assam.
History
It was a princely state ruled by the Koch kings and the then ruler of the undivided kingdom. Today the erstwhile Goalpara district is divided into Kokrajha ...
.
Meanwhile, after receiving the news of Chandrakanta's defeat and threatened by growing Burmese power, Purandar Singha and Ruchinath Burhagohain also withdrew their forces from Assam.
The victorious Burmese assumed themselves as the undisputed Masters of
Brahmaputra
The Brahmaputra is a trans-boundary river which flows through Tibet, northeast India, and Bangladesh. It is also known as the Yarlung Tsangpo in Tibetan, the Siang/Dihang River in Arunachali, Luit in Assamese, and Jamuna River in Bangla. It ...
valley.
Anglo-Burmese War and British occupation of Assam
In 1824 CE, the
First Anglo-Burmese War
The First Anglo-Burmese War ( my, ပထမ အင်္ဂလိပ်-မြန်မာ စစ်; ; 5 March 1824 – 24 February 1826), also known as the First Burma War, was the first of three wars fought between the British and Burmese ...
broke out. The Burmese army was defeated and expelled from Assam,
Cachar
Cachar district is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. After independence the undivided Cachar district was split into four districts in Assam: Dima Hasao district (formerly North Cachar Hills), Cachar district alongside ...
and
Manipur
Manipur () ( mni, Kangleipak) is a state in Northeast India, with the city of Imphal as its capital. It is bounded by the Indian states of Nagaland to the north, Mizoram to the south and Assam to the west. It also borders two regions of Myanm ...
. Finally, the Burmese monarch sued for peace and the
treaty of Yandabo
The Treaty of Yandabo ( my, ရန္တပိုစာချုပ် ) was the peace treaty that ended the First Anglo-Burmese War. The treaty was signed on 24February 1826, nearly two years after the war formally broke out on 5March 1824, by ...
was signed by both parties on 24 February 1826. According to the terms and conditions of the treaty, the Burmese monarch renounced all claims over Assam and British became the masters of the Brahmaputra valley.
Restoration of Ahom rule in Upper Assam under Purandar Singha
After the British annexation of Assam, many members of the Ahom Dynasty, including former Ahom king Chandrakanta Singha, appealed to the British Government to restore Ahom rule. Initially, the British chose to ignore these appeals, but as time passed, the British authorities sensed the growing discontent to foreign rule among the people. Meanwhile, certain members of former Ahom royal family and nobles conspired to overthrow British rule in Assam. While the conspiracy was detected,and the conspirators punished, the British authorities were concerned over a growing dissatisfaction among the people with British rule. Therefore, in an attempt to pacify the people, in 1832 CE, the British Government considered restoring Upper Assam to the former Ahom royal family as a tributary princedom.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1981 p. 338] The two most suitable candidates for the throne were Chandrakanta Singha and Purandar Singha. After some interviews with the candidates and discussions among the British Officers, Purandar Singha was selected for the throne. In his report to the British government,
Thomas Campbell Robertson
Thomas Campbell Robertson (9 November 1789 – 6 July 1863) was a British civil servant of Bengal Civil Service in India.
Personal life
Thomas Campbell Robertson was born in Kenilworth on 9 November 1789, the youngest son of Captain George Rob ...
, then Commissioner and Political Agent of Assam, wrote as follows regarding Purandar Singha's qualifications:
“''I have had several interviews with Purandar Singh at Gauhati, and see no reason, from his outward appearance and manners, to doubt of his fitness for the dignity, for which all unite in preferring him to his only rival Chandrakant. Purandar Singh is a young man, apparently about 25 years of age. His countenance is pleasing, and his manners extremely good. His natural abilities seem respectable and his disposition mild and pacific…Major White and Lieutenants Mathie and Rutherford are all decidedly of opinion that Purandar Singh is the best person fitted to be at the head of the State which it has been decided to create.''”
Political Proceedings of the Government of Bengal, dated 4 February 1833, No. 8, pp. 123–24
Some historians are of the opinion that the selection of Purandar Singha over Chandrakanta Singha as a tributary ruler of Upper Assam was a British political ploy. Since Chandrakanta Singha inherited the kingdom from his elder brother, the Ahom king Swargadeo
Kamaleswar Singha
Suklingphaa (ruled 1795–1811), or Kamaleswar Singha, was a king of the Ahom kingdom. He came to power when he was a toddler, and died in his teens during a small pox epidemic. The ''de facto'' ruler during his reign was Purnanada Burhagoha ...
, therefore the legal basis of Chandrakanta Singha was more firm than Purandar Singha. Purandar Singha lived most of his life in exile with his father; therefore if the British install Purandar Singha to the throne, he would be more grateful and will submit to British rule more readily than his rival candidate Chandrakanta Singha.
Second reign (1833–1838 CE)
In April 1833, Purandar Singha was appointed as a protected prince in charge of
Upper Assam
Upper Assam is an administrative division of the state of Assam comprising the undivided Lakhimpur and Sivasagar (previously, Sibsagar) districts, of the upper reaches of the Brahmaputra valley. The other divisions are: Lower Assam, North Assam a ...
, excluding
Sadiya
Sadiya is a town in Tinsukia district, Assam. It was the capital of the Chutia Kingdom and after the downfall of the kingdom it became the seat of the ''Sadiya-khowa-Gohain'' of the Ahom kingdom. Extensive remains of buildings and fortificati ...
and Matak regions, on a stipulated tribute of 50,000 rupees.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) second edition 1968 Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam Guwahati p. 211] Jorhat was made the capital of the state. The entire civil administration was left in his hands and a detachment of the Assam Light Infantry of the British army was left there for the protection of Purandar Singha and the preservation of peace.
Appointment of officials
At the onset of his second reign, Purandar Singha appointed officials according to the traditional Ahom system of governance, but since his kingdom's territory was very much less than the territories of the Ahom kingdom, before 1826 CE, he left many official posts vacant. Also owing to the depleted conditions of the kingdom's economy, the state treasury could not have borne the burden of giving salaries to these officials. He appointed Mahidhar, the son of Ruchinath Burhagohain, to the post of Burhagohain. He created three mels or estates, which are called “Maju Mel”, “Mahi Mel” and “Saru Mel”. He allotted Maju Mel or estate to his nephew, Narnarayan Gohain, Mahi Mel or estate to his cousin Ishwar Gohain, and Suru Mel or estate to his uncle, Brajanath Gohain's younger brother, Indunath Gohain.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 341] Among all his officials,
Maniram Dewan
Maniram Dutta Baruah, popularly known as Maniram Dewan (17 April 1806 – 26 February 1858), was an Assamese nobleman in British India. He was one of the first people to establish tea gardens in Assam. A loyal ally of the British East India C ...
was the most powerful, with some real authority. While Purandar Singha had appointed Burhagohain as his Prime Minister, it was actually Maniram Dewan who looked after administration of the state and monitored the collection of revenue.
Defaults in the payments of revenue and maladministration
After his accession as the tributary ruler of Upper Assam under British Government, Purandar Singha began well with his accounts of payments of revenue. But within three years, he began to make default in his payments. He begged for a considerable reduction in the amount of revenue, as he explained that the country was badly ravaged by the Burmese invaders, affecting all spheres of life of the people, which includes social and economical. Imposing taxation was also difficult because, unlike other parts of
India
India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by area, the second-most populous country, and the most populous democracy in the world. Bounded by the Indian Ocean on the so ...
, common people in Assam rarely used money. Captain Francis Jenkins, the new Commissioner and Political Agent, held an enquiry into Purandar Singh's administration and found it a hot bed of corruption and misfeasance.
His subjects were oppressed and misgoverned and his rule is very distasteful to the bulk of the population. Purandar Singha was himself found guilty of gathering personal fortune rather than concentrating on good governance for his people.
In 1838 a British army surgeon,
John McCosh, gave a description of the condition of Purandar Singha and his court officials:
"The present representative of this once powerful dynasty (Svargadeo or Lord of Heaven, as he pleased to call himself) now resides in Jorhat in noisy pomp and tawdry splendor; his resources limited to that of a zamindar; his numerous nobility reduced to beggary or to exist upon bribery and corruption; and his kingly court (for he still maintains his regnal dignity) more resembling the parade of a company of strolling players than anything imposing or sovereign."
Purandar Singha deposed and the end of Ahom authority in Assam
Purandar Singha having thus proved a failure, his kingdom was placed under direct British control, in September 1838 CE. With the deposal of Purandar Singha and the annexation of Upper Assam to the territories of the
British East India Company
The East India Company (EIC) was an English, and later British, joint-stock company founded in 1600 and dissolved in 1874. It was formed to trade in the Indian Ocean region, initially with the East Indies (the Indian subcontinent and Southea ...
, all vestiges of Ahom authority in Assam came to an end after a reign of approximately 600 years.
His kingdom was divided into two districts,
Sibsagar district
Sivasagar district (Pron: or ), formerly known as ''Sibsagar'', is one of the 34 districts of Assam state in Northeast India. Sivasagar city is the administrative headquarters of this district. This historic place is also known for its rich bio ...
and
Lakhimpur district
Lakhimpur district ( ) is an administrative district in the state of Assam in India. The district headquarter is located at North Lakhimpur. The district is bounded on the North by Siang and Papumpare districts of Arunachal Pradesh and on the Eas ...
.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'' 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 339]
Later life
After the annexation of his kingdom by the British, Purandar Singha continued to live in Jorhat. In October 1838 CE, a pension of 1000 rupees per month was granted to him but he declined to accept it. He hoped for the eventual restitution of his state as a result of his petition to the Governor-General.
[Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) second edition 1968 Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam Guwahati p. 212] The petition of Purandar Singha was turned down by the Governor-General, after consultation with British officials serving in Assam.
During that time, the British Government officials and many other adventurers dug the Royal Tombs or
Maidam
A maidam is a tumulus of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval Ahom Kingdom (1228–1826) in Assam. The royal are found exclusively at Charaideo; whereas other are found scattered in the region between Jorhat and Dibrugarh towns. Structur ...
s of Ahom kings in
Charaideo
Charaideo or Che-Rai-Doi (Literally: ''the shining city on the hills'' in Ahom language) is a town in Charaideo district, Assam, India and was also the first capital of the Ahom kingdom established by the first Ahom king Chao Lung Siu-Ka-Pha ...
, in search of treasures, as it was widely known that the material properties of the dead king, like swords, furniture, utensils, gold and silver jewellery, and other valuables were also entombed along with the dead king in the
Maidam
A maidam is a tumulus of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval Ahom Kingdom (1228–1826) in Assam. The royal are found exclusively at Charaideo; whereas other are found scattered in the region between Jorhat and Dibrugarh towns. Structur ...
. Purandar Singha, at first protested the desecration of his ancestors’ tombs, but finding it hopeless to appeal, in a bid to preserve the treasure; he himself dug many Royal Tombs and recovered a large booty of treasures. Fearing outburst and reactions from other princes of the Ahom Dynasty, he spread the news that he had dug the ancestral tombs to recover their bones and other remains, to take them to the
Ganges
The Ganges ( ) (in India: Ganga ( ); in Bangladesh: Padma ( )). "The Ganges Basin, known in India as the Ganga and in Bangladesh as the Padma, is an international river to which India, Bangladesh, Nepal and China are the riparian states." is ...
, for spiritual and religious purpose.
Death
Purandar Singha lived out the rest of his life in Jorhat along with his family. He died on October 1, 1846 CE,
a few days before the
Durga Puja
Durga Puja ( bn, দুর্গা পূজা), also known as Durgotsava or Sharodotsava, is an annual Hindu festival originating in the Indian subcontinent which reveres and pays homage to the Hindu goddess Durga and is also celebrated ...
celebrations. The former Ahom nobles attended his funeral and paid their respect to the departed king. His remains were entombed in a
Maidam
A maidam is a tumulus of the royalty and aristocracy of the medieval Ahom Kingdom (1228–1826) in Assam. The royal are found exclusively at Charaideo; whereas other are found scattered in the region between Jorhat and Dibrugarh towns. Structur ...
, constructed in Jorhat. Presently, the place is known as Raja Maidam.
Family and descendants
Purandar Singha had numerous wives; prominent among them were Maharani Chandrakala, Chandrakanti Kunwari and Ambavati Kunwari. Maharani Chandrakala was the ''Parvatia Queen'' of Purandar Singha and she was a Manipuri princess. Purandar Singha was succeeded by his son Jubraj Kameswar Singha. In 1847 CE, Kameswar Singha was permitted by the British Government to use the title of Raja. He died on June 10, 1852 CE, and his remains were entombed near his father's tomb, in Raja Maidam, Jorhat. Kameswar Singha left three widows, Rani Lakhipriya, Padmahari Kunwari and'Madhavi Maju Kunwari, as well as a concubine named Rupavati Khatania. Kandarpeswar Singha, Kameswar's son with Lakhipriya, was born in 1840.
In 1848 CE, the title of Charing Raja was conferred on Kandarpeswar. During the
Indian Rebellion of 1857
The Indian Rebellion of 1857 was a major uprising in India in 1857–58 against the rule of the British East India Company, which functioned as a sovereign power on behalf of the British Crown. The rebellion began on 10 May 1857 in the fo ...
, he was suspected of disloyalty. He was placed under arrest, with his agent Maniram Dewan Barbhandar Barua who was then in Calcutta petitioning the Governor-General for the restoration of the Ahom kingdom to Kandarpeswar Singha. As a result of the trial, he was sent to
Alipur and then to Burdwan to be detained there as a state prisoner. Maniram Dewan was executed on February 26, 1858 CE.
Kandarpeswar was afterwards released and granted a pension of 500 rupees per month; he died in Guwahati. His two sons, Kumudeswar and Nareswar, with his wife Rani Kamalapriya, had died during their father's lifetime, and his daughter Troilokyeswari Aideo survived him.
He is an ancestor of
Ranjan Gogoi Ranjan is a name. 'Ran' means Battle and 'jan' means public, in olden days this name was given to generous kings who fight battles for the rights of people.
Ranjan may also refer to:
*Ranjan (actor) (1918–1983) (real name Ramanarayana Venkataram ...
, the 46th Chief Justice of India.
Character and legacy
Contemporary chroniclers are of the opinion that since Purandar Singha had passed his childhood through economic hardships during his father's exile in Bengal, he was very much attracted to money and wealth.
This explains the accusations which he had faced during both of his reigns. During his first reign, Purandar Singha and his father Brajanath Gohain, after being defeated by Burmese, fled to Guwahati taking all the valuables from the Royal treasury worth 3.5 million rupees, due to which the next ruler Chandrakanta Singha faced economic hardship in gathering mercenaries and maintaining the army to fight Burmese. During his second reign, as tributary prince under British, it was found that Purandar Singha was busy gathering personal wealth, instead of taking care of administration, which resulted in the growth of corruption among his officials. Some historians also stated his character as stubborn and firm from the fact that he refused to accept any pensions or grants from British Government. His son, Kameswar Singha also refused to accept pension from the British Government.
[Barbaruah Hiteswar Ahomar-Din or A History of Assam under the Ahoms 1st edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati p. 340] Some sources said that it was actually Maniram Dewan who advised both father and son not to accept any pension, since it might weaken their petition to restore their kingdom.
Notes
{{reflist
References
* Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Swargadeo Rajeswar Singha'', first edition 1975 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati
* Bhuyan Dr. S.K. ''Tunkhungia Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' (1681-1826) second edition 1968 Department of Historical and Antiquarian Studies in Assam Guwahati
* Barbaruah Hiteswar ''Ahomar-Din'' or ''A History of Assam under the Ahoms'', first edition 1981 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati
* Barua Gunaviram ''Assam Buranji'' or ''A History of Assam'' fourth edition 2008 Publication Board of Assam Guwahati
*
Gait E.A. ''A History of Assam'' second edition 1926 Thacker, Spink & Co Calcutta
* Chaliha Sadananda Guwahati : Buranjir Khala-Bamat or A collection of select articles on the antiquity and history of Guwahati and the surrounding tracts first edition 1991 M/s Student Stores Guwahati
Ahom kings
Ahom kingdom
Dethroned monarchs
1807 births
1846 deaths